This is how the Lakers were after flexing their muscles and, in Ron Artest’s case, kissing them. They acted as if they knew all along they would reposition their stature.

When they didn’t know all along. As recently as last month, for example, Mitch Kupchak talked out loud about making a trade.

Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony?

That one would have changed the Western Conference, as well as Sunday.

As it is, the same team that took a 24-point first-quarter lead on Friday fell behind by 21 in the first quarter Sunday. Afterward, all the Spurs could feel good about was 1) they didn’t cry and 2) Gregg Popovich continues to look like a genius.

After all, he’s been right all along about the Lakers.

Popovich isn’t the only one. Dirk Nowitzki has also insisted the Lakers are the team to beat in the West, as has anyone who believes two-time defending champs deserve some respect.

But there have been cracks. Jerry West said he thought the Lakers were too old to play defense anymore, and Derek Fisher kept helping his argument. Artest was acting like Artest, which isn’t healthy for anyone. And then there was that night in Cleveland before the All-Star break.

“It is clear that these Lakers are broken,” wrote a Los Angeles Times columnist at the time, “beyond all chance of a championship.”

He thought a trade was the only way to fix the Lakers, and Bynum-for-’Melo was an obvious possibility. Why not swap a gimpy center for a scorer who could someday replace Bryant as the franchise centerpiece?

Over 75 percent of fans voted in favor of the trade in a poll on ESPN.com’s Los Angeles site, and an LATimes.com poll had similar results.

The Spurs would have voted for the trade, too. They always saw Anthony as beatable, as well as someone who would take the ball out of Bryant’s hands. Besides, the Heat game suggests the Spurs can handle multiple wing scorers.

But 7-footers? Just seconds into their first loss at home since November, the Spurs saw the impact. Then, Fisher missed, and Bynum grabbed the rebound and dunked.

Bynum went on to get 17 rebounds in only 27 minutes, and what he said afterward was as notable. “Their starters definitely quit,” he said.

Statistically, he’s right. No Spurs starter played more than 25 minutes.

But quit on the court? Maybe it just looked that way, when Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker drove and found an agile 23-year-old waiting.

“His length is superior,” Popovich said afterward of Bynum. “So is Pau’s (Gasol). Together they are a heck of a defensive tandem down there. That is why they are NBA champions the last two years.”

Popovich caught himself. “Or, I guess one of the reasons. I guess Kobe has something to do with it, too.”

It is not clear the Spurs are broken beyond all chance of a championship. Another month will change the variables, and December showed what is possible. Then, DeJuan Blair went for 17 points and 15 rebounds against this same L.A. frontline.

Still, it’s the combination of Bryant and two big men that Popovich always feared would come together. Now that it’s happening, maybe Dallas’ loss to Memphis on Sunday was as important. The Spurs need to continue toward the conference’s best record, keeping the Lakers in the other playoff bracket.

But if Kupchak had listened to the media and fans? If the trade had happened?

Bryant and Jackson would be heading to another game today, even less excited.